Member
I found this to be a fascinating study from my church's lesson for today.....
As anyone who knows the Lord can testify, sin separates us from God.
The good news is that the Lord has put in place a system to heal the breach caused by sin and to bring us back to Him. At the center of this system is, of course, the sacrifice.
There are basically three kinds of sin depicted in the Old Testament, each corresponding to the sinner’s level of awareness while he or she committed the transgression: inadvertent or unintentional sin, deliberate or intentional sin, and rebellious sin. The “purification offering” prescribed in Leviticus 4:1–5:13 applied to cases of unintentional sin, as well as some cases of deliberate sin (Lev. 5:1). While an offering was available for these first two categories, none is mentioned for rebellious sin, the most heinous kind. Rebellious sin was done “in the face” of God, with a high hand, and the rebel deserved nothing less than to be cut off (Num. 15:29–31); however, it seems that even in these cases, such as with Manasseh, God offered forgiveness (see 2 Chron. 33:12-13).
Read Deuteronomy 25:1-2 and 2 Samuel 14:1–11. What does 2 Samuel 14:9 reveal about mercy, justice, and guilt?
Is God justified in forgiving the sinner? After all, is not the sinner unrighteous and, therefore, worthy to be condemned (see Deut. 25:1)?
The story of the woman of Tekoa can illustrate the answer. Pretending to be a widow as instructed by Joab, she went to King David, seeking his judgment. Joab contrived a story about her two sons, one having killed the other, that he asked her to tell David. Israelite law demanded the death of the murderer (Num. 35:31), even though he was the only male left in the family. The woman pleaded with David (who functioned as judge) to let the guilty son go free.
Then, interestingly enough, she declared: “ ‘let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless’ ” (2 Sam. 14:9, NKJV). Both the woman and David understood that if the king would decide to let the murderer go free, then the king himself would acquire the guilt of the murderer and that his throne of justice (that is, his reputation as judge) would be in jeopardy. The judge was morally responsible for what he decided. That is why the woman offered to take over this guilt herself.
Similarly, God takes over the guilt of sinners in order to declare them righteous. For us to be forgiven, God Himself must bear our punishment. This is the legal reason why Christ had to die if we were to be saved.
Do any of you wonder at times, or worry, that perhaps you have gone too far in offending and sinning against the Lord? I think we can take great encouragement from the story of Manasseh.
2 Chronicles 33:1 ¶ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever......:
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken........
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
As anyone who knows the Lord can testify, sin separates us from God.
The good news is that the Lord has put in place a system to heal the breach caused by sin and to bring us back to Him. At the center of this system is, of course, the sacrifice.
There are basically three kinds of sin depicted in the Old Testament, each corresponding to the sinner’s level of awareness while he or she committed the transgression: inadvertent or unintentional sin, deliberate or intentional sin, and rebellious sin. The “purification offering” prescribed in Leviticus 4:1–5:13 applied to cases of unintentional sin, as well as some cases of deliberate sin (Lev. 5:1). While an offering was available for these first two categories, none is mentioned for rebellious sin, the most heinous kind. Rebellious sin was done “in the face” of God, with a high hand, and the rebel deserved nothing less than to be cut off (Num. 15:29–31); however, it seems that even in these cases, such as with Manasseh, God offered forgiveness (see 2 Chron. 33:12-13).
Read Deuteronomy 25:1-2 and 2 Samuel 14:1–11. What does 2 Samuel 14:9 reveal about mercy, justice, and guilt?
Is God justified in forgiving the sinner? After all, is not the sinner unrighteous and, therefore, worthy to be condemned (see Deut. 25:1)?
The story of the woman of Tekoa can illustrate the answer. Pretending to be a widow as instructed by Joab, she went to King David, seeking his judgment. Joab contrived a story about her two sons, one having killed the other, that he asked her to tell David. Israelite law demanded the death of the murderer (Num. 35:31), even though he was the only male left in the family. The woman pleaded with David (who functioned as judge) to let the guilty son go free.
Then, interestingly enough, she declared: “ ‘let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless’ ” (2 Sam. 14:9, NKJV). Both the woman and David understood that if the king would decide to let the murderer go free, then the king himself would acquire the guilt of the murderer and that his throne of justice (that is, his reputation as judge) would be in jeopardy. The judge was morally responsible for what he decided. That is why the woman offered to take over this guilt herself.
Similarly, God takes over the guilt of sinners in order to declare them righteous. For us to be forgiven, God Himself must bear our punishment. This is the legal reason why Christ had to die if we were to be saved.
Do any of you wonder at times, or worry, that perhaps you have gone too far in offending and sinning against the Lord? I think we can take great encouragement from the story of Manasseh.
2 Chronicles 33:1 ¶ Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever......:
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken........
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.